Like the Convention Center Dublin that opened last year, this conference center incorporates a wide range of green technologies.

Like the Convention Center Dublin that opened last year, this conference center incorporates a wide range of green technologies. The building is passively heated during the icy winter months thanks to a unique steel-louvered glass façade, while cooling is achieved using water in the adjacent Lake Mälaren as a heat sink. Off-peak power is used to create 250 tons of ice underneath the building, which can be used to cool the center in a hurry when it is packed with people.

The building also uses a neat trick to distribute energy evenly throughout the facility — when one section is too hot and another is too cold, the HVAC system can balance the temperature between the two areas with little net added energy.

The facility, which is made partly from reclaimed materials salvaged from the site, can transform its program at the push of a button. The 3000 person theater can change into separate performance spaces or a huge dining room, allowing the building to act like a much larger facility. A daylit transition provides access to a 414 room hotel and the Central Train Station, contributing diverse public functionality and accessibility to the striking facility.